Matthew 19:3

Matthew 19:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
• New International Version (NIV)Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

Context of Matthew 19:3

1Now when Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River. 2Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Then some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful to divorce a wife for any cause?” 4He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, 5and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?

Matthew 19:3 word by word

καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ Φαρισαῖοι πειράζοντες αὐτὸν καὶ λέγοντες εἰ ἔξεστιν ἀνθρώπῳ ἀπολῦσαι τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ κατὰ πᾶσαν αἰτίαν;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The Phariseesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• cameπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• temptingπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: testG3985
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Is itεἰei · if: is(QUESTION)G1487
• lawfulἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
• for a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• to put awayἀπολύωapoluō · to release: divorceG630
• wifeγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• forκατάkata · according toG2596
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• causeαἰτίαaitia · cause/chargeG156

Cross-references for Matthew 19:3

• Matthew 16:1Now when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
• Matthew 22:16They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality.
• Mark 10:2Then some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
• Mark 12:13Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to trap him with his own words.
• Luke 11:53When he went out from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, and to ask him hostile questions about many things,
• John 8:6(Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him, so that they could bring charges against him.) Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
• Hebrews 3:9“There your fathers tested me and tried me, and they saw my works for forty years.
• Matthew 5:31“It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a legal document.’
• Malachi 2:14Yet you ask, “Why?” The Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law.

Commentaries on Matthew 19:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Tempting him - Trying what answer he would give to a question, which, however decided by him, would expose him to censure. Is it lawful - for every cause? - Instead of , fault, cause, reason, three MSS. and the Coptic version read , sin or transgression: this was probably the original reading - the first syllable being lost, alone would remain, which a subsequent transcriber would suppose to be a mistake for , and so wrote it; hence this various reading…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The Pharisees came - See the notes at Matthew 3:7. Tempting him - This means, to get him, if possible, to express an opinion that should involve him in difficulty. Is it lawful … - There was the more art in the captious question which they proposed, as at that time the people were very much divided on the subject. A part, following the opinions of Hillel, said that a man might divorce his wife for any offence, or any dislike he might have of her. See the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-12Verses 3-12 The Pharisees were desirous of drawing something from Jesus which they might represent as contrary to the law of Moses. Cases about marriage have been numerous, and sometimes perplexed; made so, not by the law of God, but by the lusts and follies of men; and often people fix what they will do, before they ask for advice. Jesus replied by asking whether they had not read the account of the creation, and the first example of marriage; thus…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3There were two different opinions on when a man could divorce his wife: One group of Pharisees, following Rabbi Shammai, believed divorce was only allowable for adultery or serious wrongdoing. The other group, following Rabbi Hillel, thought a man could divorce his wife for any reason, even if she burned his dinner.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?--Two rival schools (as we saw on Mt 5:31) were divided on this question--a delicate one, as De Wette pertinently remarks, in the dominions of Herod Antipas.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 19:3

• Divorce
• Jesus, the Christ
• Marriage
• Pharisees

In the dictionaries

• Divorce
• Eternal
• Impossible
• Join
• Marry
• Possession
• Rich
• Wife
• Divorce in the New Testament
• Family

Commentaries on Matthew 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings